Code translating mechanism



F I'G l L. M. POTTs CODE TRANSLATING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 27, 1938 July 8, 1941.

CODE PRINTER INVENTOR. LOUIS M. POTTS ATT RNEY.

PERMUTATlON FCL:

FrFf n ImrwwwfpwrfwwwprhPrhw A n HH h h MONOPULSE l TRANSMITTER L Patented July 8, 1941 CODE TRANSLATING MECHANISM Louis M. Potts, Evanston, Ill., assignor to Teletype Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application December 2 18 Claims.

The present invention relates to signal translating apparatus and more particularly to apparatus which is responsive to signals in accordance with one fundamental code for recreating signals of a different fundamental code.

In obtaining a signal translation in accordance with a preferred embodiment, the initial or starting code is of a type identified as a monopulse code whereas the ultimate or translated signals are of the type identified as a permutation code. A salient difference between the two systems of transmission is that Whereas monopulse signals each have but one interval of characteristic current change, the permutation code signals have the possibility of several characteristic current changes during a complete signal. The present system embodies apparatus for converting monopulse signals directly into permutation code signals automatically and without the use of intervening permanent storage medium.

The principal object of the present invention generally stated is to provide in an instantly responsive mechanism means for converting telegraph signals whose distinguishing characteristic is based upon a periodicity change directly into permutation code or start-stop signals for operating standard permutation code telegraph apparatus.

Other objects of the present invention will be revealed in the course of the following detailed description during which reference will be had to the accompanying single sheet of drawings, like reference characters denoting corresponding parts throughout.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 represents a schematic circuit having embodied therein certain principles of the present invention, and

Fig. 2 is a curve chart depicting one signal of the monopulse type used in operating printers of the class disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,177,077, issued Oct. 24, 1939, to L. M. Potts.

In Fig. 1 there is illustrated one embodiment of the present invention in a circuit diagram of a translating station apparatus in which the general reference character I I denotes a remotestation monopulse transmitter. This instrumentality maybe one such as is illustrated in copending application Serial No. 102,443, filed September 25,. 1936, or it may be an automatic transmitter for generating this type of signal under the supervision of a tape. The reference character I2 denotes generally a translating distributor responsive to the single characteristic impulse of monopulse code signals, and the refer- 7, 1938, Serial No. 247,745

ence character I3 denotes generally a start-stop transmitting distributor for generating permutation code signals which are made to correspond with the particular monopulse signal received during a given cycle over theL aforedescribed distributor I2. The symbolic representation I4 denotes a permutation code printer which may be of the type illustrated in U. S. Patent No. 1,821,110 or any other type of recording apparatus which is responsive to a six-unit permutation code signal.

Accordingly, it will be understood that over an incoming line I5 there may be received signals of the so-called monopulse type while over a main or auxiliary outgoing line I5 there are produced signals which have the same significance as those received over line I5 but translated in terms of a conventional start-stop permutation code.

Monopulse signals may be composed of current and rio-current signal conditions utilizing accordingly a biased type of receiving relay I1 whose armature I8 is normally presented against its upper contact point 25. As may be understood by referring to Fig. 2, the transmission of monopulse signals of the type contemplated involves the interruption of a normal line condition for a measured interval which is initiated at a point definite with respect to each transmission cycle and is continued until the distributors have attained a position in the cycle which corresponds to and is identiiied with the particular character transmitted. At the termination of this impulse normal line current condition is restored as indicated at the character K in Fig. 2. Normal line current is then maintained until the arrival of the succeeding start-stop instant when, if a succeeding character is in readiness for transmission, another line interruption is thereat repeated. As explained in said copending application, the alternative (normal and character impulse) line conditions may if preferred be com- -prised of positive and negative signals or they may be comprised of either polarity of current as one line condition with no current as the alternative line`--condition- Variations of signaling practice along these lines are not inconsistent with the structural principles disclosed in the present invention.

I Under the indicated conditions of operation, therefore, current is found on line I5 and the local relay Il is energized. Armature I8 assumes a position such as illustrated in Fig. 1 having con-` tactual engagement with its upper contact point 25.

When no signals are transmitted, the condition under the influence of its spring 36. 'Ihe circuit,

for energizing relay 31 may be traced from ground through the winding of said magnet 31, line 38, front contact 39 and armature 22 of a start-stop preparatory relay 4I, line ZI, armature I8, contact I9 to grounded battery. This circuit is now open because armature I8 is found in its upper position in contactual engagement with contact point 25. Upon the receipt over line I5 of a current change as indicated at the startstop interval of Fig. 2, relay I1 will reverse the position of armature I8 permitting it to come into contactual engagement with its lowermost contact I9, causing to be energized the start-stop relay 31.

When relay 31 is energized, it withdraws its armature 35 which is the stop pawl for distributor arm 24 and thereupon said distributor arm is released to rotate and to accordingly permit its several brushes to sweep across the segments of the afore-enumerated rings 21, 28,v etc.

As the brushes pass over the rst segments, the circuit for energizing preparatory relay 4I is broken, which circuit is traceable from grounded battery through the winding of said relay 4I, line 42, segment 43 of ring 21, its associated brush 26, the common brush connector line, brush 26 of ring 28, to the grounded segment 44 of said ring. As the result of the de-energization of preparatory relay 4I, its armature 22 is permitted to fall away breaking engagement with its front contact 39 and making engagement with its back contact 45. When this is done, a circuit is completed for charging the condenser 23 which cir;- cuit is traceable from ground through the condenser 23, contact 45, and armature 22 which is now in engagement therewith, line 2I, armature I8, contact I9, to grounded battery. Meanwhile it will be recalled that distributor arm 24 is sweeping downwardly (in accordance with the symbolic representation in Fig. 1) bridging the several segments of the rings 21, 28, etc., in successive sequences.

At some interval before the brushes 24 have completed their traversal of the several distributor rings, a change of current will occur; for example, as indicated at the character K, Fig. 2, whereupon the relay I1 will reverse the position of its armature I8, causing it again to come into contact with upper contact point 25. The instant that armature I8 engages its contact point 25 the potential which has been stored in condenser 23 is instantly released over its circuit aforedescribed, through contact point 25, line 46, the solid portion of ring 21, over the several brushes 26, and their common connector, all of the segments of rings 28, 29, 3l, etc., with which the brushes 26 happen then to be in engagement; for example, as denoted at K, then over the collector lines of cable 41.

In this connection it will be noted that of the cable 41 six component lines 48 are classifiable as marking lines, these going to the windings 49 of a set of primary storage polar relays 5I while the remaining six classiiiable as spacing are designated 52 and go to the windings 53 of said polar relays 5I. The twelve lines, one each of the classes aforedesignated 48 and 52, are grouped into six pairs, one of each class to a pair and in accordance with this grouping are associated with the segments of rings 26, 29, etc., variously as may be seen in Fig. 1,. In connection with the aforeindicated example of the letter K, it will be noted that its first four segments (counting from the right towards the left) are connected to lines 48 which have been designated as marking lines. The remaining two segments are connected to the spacing lines 52 because the signal K in a six-unit permutation code such as is herein contemplated is made up of four marking impulses in the iirst four positions and two spacing impulses in the remaining two positions. These components have been designated on the distributor ring 54 of distributor I3 by the labels I, 2, 3, 4, and 5, an index classiiication which is conventional in telegraph practice.

The several windings 49 and 53 of the six relays 5I are electrically balanced as by the use of balancing resistances 55 so that the discharge of condenser 23 will be equally divided over the several courses, causing to be energized said relays 5I in various permutations to correspond to the distribution of the signal as predetermined by the connection of the character segments of the rings 26, 29, etc., tc the lines 48 and 52.

The relays 5I have been termed primary storage relays because they in turn, through their armatures 56, establish energizing circuits for a corresponding set of secondary storage relays 51 by engagement with upper or lower contact points 58 or 59, respectively. The circuits for energizing the secondary relays 51 are traceable from grounded battery at 6I, over line 62, resistance 63, through the energizing winding 64 of a relay 65, line 66 to the common wire 61, thence parallelly to the several individual resistances 69, one or the other of the windings of secondary relays 51 and their corresponding return line 69 or 1I, to their respective contact points 58 or 59. Of the last mentioned alternative courses, the determination is established by the condition cf the mutual armature 56; that is, whether it is in engagement with the upper contact 58 or the lower contact 59 in each instance. Thereafter the circuits continue over common conductor 12, through the last segment in ring 33 and its associated brush 26, over the common brush connector line to the brush 26 which engages ring 34, thence through the last segment of ring 34 which is grounded.

From the foregoing it will be understood that each of the secondary relays 51 assumes a position in accordance with its associated primary relay 5 I, and that the latter in turn is conditioned in accordance with the predetermined or established connections of its associated character segments (in a transverse row) in the translating distributor I2. 'I'his predetermined establishment of connections corresponds with the individual code ofthe signal and in accordance therewith the segments of permutation code transmitting distributor ring 54 will receive signaling current or not under the immediate supervision of the armatures 13, each of which is associated with one of the relays 51. That-is to say, when armature 13 is in engagement with its contact point 14, then current will be communicated from grounded battery 6I over the common conductor 15 through the individual armature 13 and its contact point 14 over an individual line 16 to its corresponding segment in the transmitting distributor I3, the several segments of which comprise ring 54.

The permutation code transmitting distributor I3 is also of start-stop control and its cycle of As a result, relay 4I is maintained energized rotation is initiated under the supervision oi' a causing to be attracted its armature 22 which,

lstart magnet 11. 'I'he energizing circuit for by reason of its engagement with front contact of each signal to the secondary relays 51. Ac-

and it is completed upon 39, prepares the circuit for the energization of the upward movement of armature 18 under 5 start magnet 31. The circuit for energizing start the control of winding 64 of the relay 65. Since magnet 31 is not completed, however, until aras has been described this winding is in circuit mature I8 of line relay I1 is moved to engage its with the common return of the several windings lowermost contact point I9. This occurs at the of secondary relays 51, the movement of armastart-stop instant as indicated on the chart, ture 18 is an invariable response to the transfer 10 Fig. 2, but as brushes 26 move off the rst segments of their several rings, the ones of said cordingly, magnet 11 will thereupon retract the brushes relating to the first rings; namely 21 stop arm 19 from the path of the brush carrier and 28, and which were instrumental in mainof Vtransmitting distributor I3, permitting the taining energized the preparatory relay 4I, ride latter to enter upon a cycle of transmission and off the designated segments 43 and 44 and perto issue over a line I6 a permutation code signal mit said relay 4I to become de-energized. As a having a corresponding characteristic identified result, armature 22 is permitted to fall back to with the alphabetical character K in accordance its contact 45, breaking the circuit for energizwith the instant example. ing the start-stop magnet 31 and making in- As the brush carrier of transmitting distribustead a circuit as already described for charging tor I3 enters upon its cycle of rotation, brushes the condenser 23. 8| thereof connect the solid ring 82 successively Meanwhile arm 24 andthe brushes 26 carried with the start and stop impulse segments and by it are traversing the several rings 21, 28, etc., thereafter with the code impulse segments of downwardly, encountering each character in the ring 54. Meanwhile, brushes 83, also carried by order indicated by the legends at the right of the brush carrier, which bridge the distributor ring 34. This order corresponds to the one ilrings 84 and 85, starting the cycle of rotation, lustrated in the copending application referred encounter a special segment 86, thereby conto above. At some instant during each cycle, necting ground from ring 84, over line 81, through the .line current again changes, as indicated at the winding 88 of relay 65, resistance 89, line 62, 30 K in Fig. 2, and as a result, line magnet I1 reto grounded battery 6I, causing to be energized verses itseondition, causing its armature i8 to the winding 88 and pulling amature 18 back resume its normal position; namely, in contact to its retracted position, the one illustrated in with point 25, thereby withdrawing battery from Fig. 1. This de-energizes magnet 11 permitting the condenser charging circuit and connecting its armature which is also the stop pawl of brush 35 ring 21 to the condenser instead. carrier 19 to resume its normal position for ar- Instantaneously condenser 23 discharges over resting said brush carrier when it has completed the several rings 28, 29, etc;, and the particular its cycle of rotation. ones of the marking and spacing lines 48 and From the foregoing description it will be un- 52 to the associated windings in the primary derstood that relay 65 is of the polar type whose 40 storage relay group 5I. Thus, a` permutative opposite windings are separately controlled; one, signal in a tangible form is first created in acby the start-stop magnet energizing impulse cordance with the positioning of said primary which is received together with the transfer sigstorage relay group. nals by the secondary relays 51, and the other When the brushes 26 traverse the final segwinding of said relay 65 indicated particularly 45 ments of their several rings, a circuit is com- 88 being one which receives a restoration impleted by the brushes 26 of rings 33 and 34 for pulse under the supervision of the distributor I3 effecting a transfer to the secondary relay group itself. 51 and at the same time the winding 64 of relay k65 is energized, resulting in the energization of start magnet 11 which thereupon initiates-the It will be remembered that 1n aeeordanee Wlth transmitting cycle for the permutation code disthe Speee embodiments described above Opel" tributor I3 which thereupon issues, over line I6 ation is contemplated under signaling conditions to the remote printer i4, a six unit permutation individual to tranSmiSSOn SYStemS 0f the type code signal suitable for operating this class of more detailedly described and illustrated in the printer-sl copending application referred to above. In such 1n relating the scope of the present invention, a SYStem. Current iS normally meinteinet upon it is not intended to be limited by the details of a line during the time that it is in service but the foregoing descriptions nor by the sneeine iimagnet 11 is obvious Operation during the interval in which the Signal ehaae lustrations in the accompanying drawing except teristic itself is transmitted. there may be utas indicated inthe hereinafter appended claims.

lized an opposite current characteristic, a cur- What is eiairned is;

rent characteristic of the same polarity but of 1 A signal transmitting system Comprising different intensity, or a no-current condition. a stsrt step receiving distributor having a pin- So long as the normal line condition is mainreiii-,y of segmented rings, e pini-nity of primary tained; that is, sc long as no signals are transstorage means each associated with an individual mitted, relay li W111 reinem m the eondltlon as One of said distributor rings, a plurality of secillustrated in Flg. 1 with lts ematllfe engaging ondary storage means each associated with one contact point 25. The instant that the charof said primary storage means, circuit connecacteristic Signal 1S initiated. hOWeVeI. Said relay tions between segments of said several rings Dre- |1 Causes its armature I8 to move t0 the ODDO- 70 determinedly associated with said primary stor- Ste pOSitiOn It iS t0 be noted in Cenneetien age means, -a retransmitting distributor under with normal line condition that the dlstriblltel' the supervision of said secondary storage means, arm 24 is arrested with its brushes 26 in engageand a Single charge Current Source communiment with the first segments 43 and u. 0f tS cable through segments of said receiving distribrings 21 and 28, 75 utor for positioning said primary storage means steps of receiving a succession of signals over an trolled by the di in accordance with said predetermined circuit arof alignments of terminal members, circuit rangement. means individual to each of said alignments of v2. In a signal translation and retransmission terminal members connecting said terminal system, a receiving distributor having a plurality members of each alignment to ones of said storof segmented rings, a set of conditionable storage age members in accordance with a characteristic devices each related to and permutably connected code arrangement, and means for releasing an with various segments of an individual one of energizing current over said several terminal said rings, a brush carrier for bridging corremembers of each alignment at a predetermined sponding segments of said several rings transinstant for setting said storage members charversely, an instantly dischargeable current l acteristically.

source, means responsive to a supervisory current 3- AppratuS fOr translating a 1110110111115@ 00de for discharging said source for establishing a signal into a permutation code signal predeterpermutable setting upon said storage devices at minately identified therewith comprising in coman instant when said brush carrier is in alignbination, a receiving apparatus hal/1118 a Pluralment with ones of said segments identified with l5 ity of terminal contactors arranged in rOWS. 8 a character corresponding to said supervisory brush carrier bridging said rows including one current, and a distributor responsive to the setbrush for engaging each row. a permutation code ting of said storage devices for issuing a permuretransmitting apparatus including a set of pertation code signal. mutation elements, and circuit connections be- 3. In a start-stop signal distributing appara- Q0 tween each of said contactors and a correspondtus, a rotary member having cyclic operation, a ing element in Said retransmitting apparatus. stop element for arresting said rotary member in said circuit connections being individually ara predetermined position of each cycle, means ranged fOr each of Said transverse rows. under the control of signals on an incoming line 9. A translating device for converting monofor withdrawing said element from arresting pog5 pulse code signals into permutation code signals sition, and electro-responsive means under the comprising, a plurality of rows of contactors, said supervision of an integral portion of said rotary rows corresponding in number tothe number of member for restoring said stop element to its arcomponents of a permutation code, the contacresting position. tors of said several rows arranged in transverse e. In a signal transmission system, a permutaalignment, a set of brushes each relating to and tion code transmitting distributor comprising a disposed to engage said contactors transversely, brush carrier, an electromagnet for releasing said and signal controlled means for discharging a brush carrier cyclically, a receiving distributor current over the several brushes at an instant including a cyclically arrestable brush carrier, when said brushes come into alignment with a means under the control of said receiving disrow of contactors corresponding to a character tributor brush carrier for energizing said transrepresented by the signal. mitting distributor releasing electromagnet, and 10. In combination with a set of primary superelectro-responsive means local to said transmitvision relays corresponding in number to the ting distributor to recondition in said electronumber of signal components of a permutation magnet. 4.0 code, a distributor comprising a set of contactors 5. The method of translating a telegraph code arranged in a plurality of alignments, each alignwhose signaling characteristics are dependent ment associated with one of said relays, each upon variations in periodicity of signal current alignment consisting of a given number of indichanges into a telegraph code whose signaling vidual contactors, corresponding lcontactors o1' characteristics are dependent on a permutative each alignment comprising a row, circuit connecdistribution of a fixed number of signal intervals, tions between the contactors of each row and comprising the steps of timing the movement of their corresponding ones of said relays arranged a distribution device during the cyclic interval of in an individual manner for each of said plureception of said first-mentioned type of signal, rality of rows, and means for introducing an inrouting electrical impulses over permutative ro stantaneous current charge over the several conpaths characteristically individual to the instant tactors of a row to s'aid set of relays.

of periodicity change in each cycle, conditioning 11. In a telegraph system, a rotary signal disa set of storage means in accordance with said tributor, a group of'elements, and means to si-V electrical impulses, and generating a permutamultaneously operate all of said elements in an tion code signal under the control of said storage individual manner for transmitting a permutameans. tion code signal in accordance with a position of 6. A method of converting a telegraph code said distributor at the instant interval at which a. whose signaling characteristics are dependent signal is impressed upon said distributor.

upon variations in periodicity into a telegraph 12. In atelegraph system, a plurality of regiscode Whose signal characteristics are dependent tration elements, an electric condenser, means to upon permutational arrangement of a xed numcharge said condenser once for each character to ber of component intervals, which comprise the be registered on said elements, and means conl scharge oi' said condenser to siincoming line whose signaling characteristics are multaneously condition all o1' said register eledependent upon the periodicity of line changes, ments permutatively in accordance with a charrouting a current over a plurality of courses difacter to be recorded.

iering permutationally in accordance with the 13. In a tele instant of occurrence of a signal change in said tion including means to change the characteristic incoming line, storing component signals in acof asignaling current at intervals varying accordcordance with said permutationally varying ing to the character graph system, a transmitting starepresented by a signal. a courses, and generating an independent code sigplurality of storage elements each settable in one nal under the control of said storage signals. or another of two positions, and means respon- '7. In an intermediate storage device, the comsive to a single change in the signaling Cun-ent bination including a set of electromagnetic storto position said set ot elements characteristically. age members, a distributor comprising a plurality 14. In a telegraph system, a signal distributing trol the character of a plurality oi' impulses in a manner varying according to the period in a cycle at which said change occurs.

15. In a telegraph system, a set oi storage elements, a receiving distributor having a set oi segmented rings corresponding in number to the number of said storage elements, a circuit from each segment of each of said rings connected in one of alternative ways through an associated one of said storage elements, and a local current source for positioning all of said storage elements for each distributive condition of said distributor.

16. The method of translating a telegraph code oi a single impulse signal type into a multiple impulse permutation code signal whichcomprises, initiating at the start of a single impulse signal the operating cycle of a distributor having permutation code characteristics, passing bridging means successively over said permutation characteristics during reception of said single impulse signal, and transmitting the permutation combination bridgedv at the instant said single impulse signal terminates.

17. In a telegraph system, a set of storage elements, each element comprising a relay having marking and spacing windings, a receiving ldistributor having a set of segmented rings corresponding in number to the number of said storage elements, a circuit connecting each segment permutably to either the marking or spacing winding of one of said storage elements, and a local current source for permutably conditioning each of said storage elements for each distributive condition of said distributor.

18. In aitelegraph system, means to transmit a single impulse signal, a distributor having permutation code characteristics, means responsive tol the start of a single impulse signal to initiate the operating cycle of said distributor, a permutation code transmitter associated with said distributor, means for bridging said distributor code characterstics successively, and means to cause said permutation transmitter to transmit the code characteristic of the distributor bridged at the instant said single impulse signal terminates.

LoUrsM. Po'i'rs. 

